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Anne, Saint
(Encyclopedia)Anne, Saint, in tradition, mother of the Virgin and wife of St. Joachim. She is not mentioned in Scripture, but her cult is very old. In the West she has been especially popular since the Middle Ages....abracadabra
(Encyclopedia)abracadabra ăbˌrəkədăbˈrə [key], magical formula used by the Gnostics (see Gnosticism) to invoke the aid of benevolent spirits to ward off disease and affliction. It is supposed to be derived f...Zunz, Leopold
(Encyclopedia)Zunz, Leopold lāˈōpôlt tso͝ontsˈ [key], 1794–1886, German Jewish scholar. His critical research on Judaism became one of the cornerstones of the “science of Judaism,” the modern approach o...Walafrid Strabo
(Encyclopedia)Walafrid Strabo (Walafrid the Squinter), c.809–849, German scholar, b. Swabia. Educated at the abbey of Reichenau, he wrote, at 18, a Latin verse account of a journey to the hereafter, Visio Wettini...plumbing
(Encyclopedia)plumbing, piping systems inside buildings for water supply and sewage. The Romans had a highly developed plumbing system; water was brought to Rome by aqueducts and distributed to homes in lead pipes...ring, piece of jewelry
(Encyclopedia)ring, small ornamental hoop usually worn on finger or thumb, but it may be attached to the ear or the nose. Finger rings made of bronze, gold, and silver from the period c.2600–1500 b.c. have been f...Sassari
(Encyclopedia)Sassari säsˈsärē [key], city (1991 pop. 122,339), capital of Sassari prov., NW Sardinia, Italy. It is an administrative and agricultural trade center, handling cheese, wine, fruit, and olive oil. ...New Year's Day
(Encyclopedia)New Year's Day, among ancient peoples the first day of the year frequently corresponded to the vernal or autumnal equinox, or to the summer or winter solstice. In the Middle Ages it was celebrated amo...Maremma
(Encyclopedia)Maremma märāmˈmä [key], coastal area in Tuscany, central Italy, along the Tyrrhenian Sea and extending E to the Apennines. A flourishing region in Etruscan and early Roman times, it became marshy ...crèche
(Encyclopedia)crèche krĕsh, krāsh [key], representation of the Infant Jesus in the manger, usually surrounded by figures of Mary, Joseph, shepherds, animals, and the Wise Men; also called Christmas Crib. The cr...Browse by Subject
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